Endoscopic procedures for treating abnormal pathologies within the alimentary canal system and biliary tree (including the biliary, hepatic and pancreatic ducts) are increasing in number. The endoscope provides access to the general area of a desired duct using direct visualization. However, the duct itself must be navigated using a catheter in conjunction with fluoroscopy and guide wires.
If visualization of the common bile duct is desired, the guide wire is guided into the common bile duct and the catheter is advanced over the guide wire until the distal end thereof is positioned at a desired location for delivery of the contrast media for fluoroscopic visualization of the anatomical detail within the common bile duct.
Visualization may reveal selected areas within the common bile duct that require treatment. To treat the selected areas, a different catheter is typically required, necessitating a catheter exchange. A catheter exchange typically involves removing the first catheter from the endoscope, over the guide wire, and advancing a second catheter over the guide wire to the desired treatment site. Once the guide wire is in place relative to the targeted area, it is highly desirable to maintain the position of the guide wire during subsequent catheter procedures, including during a catheter exchange procedure. If the guide wire moves during such a procedure, the guide wire may need to be re-directed through the body ducts to the target site, which is often a difficult and time consuming task.
In addition to performing a catheter exchange procedure, it may be desirable at times to perform a guide wire exchange procedure, for example, when a first guide wire is too large to fit through a desired body duct, or otherwise lacks the characteristics desired for a particular application. Under these circumstances, a physician may leave the catheter in place and withdraw the first guide wire from the catheter. The physician then inserts a second guide wire through the catheter to the desired site. Thus, once the catheter has been properly positioned at a target site, it is highly desirable to maintain the position of the catheter during a guide wire exchange procedure so that the second guide wire may be guided directly to the desired site.
To maintain the position of the guide wire and/or catheter, a physician typically must grasp the proximal end of the guide wire and/or catheter with one hand and perform the corresponding exchange with the other. This is difficult, and often results in the movement of the guide wire and/or catheter. Alternatively, additional devices such as guide wire extenders may be used. However, utilizing such additional devices adds to the complexity of and the time required for the exchange.